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A couple of weeks ago, I got a bulletin on myspace letting me know that Melissa Etheridge's single "Christmas in America" was being offered as a "Holiday Single of the Week" free download on iTunes. While I am not what you would call a die hard Melissa fan, I do like most of her music and was in the mood for some new holiday tunes on the iPod so I hustled on over there to iTunes to take advantage of their timely offer. As the single was downloading, I decided to read some of the reviews that other listeners had written. I rarely do this because I like to hear a song and form my own opinion based on the music rather than the things people have said about it, but you know...my connection was slow and I was fighting boredom. I have to say, I was REALLY disturbed by some of the things I was reading. This single, and Melissa herself, were being slammed left and right as being too "political," "self indulgent," and "whiny," just to name a few.
Too political??? What is that??? Music has been a vehicle for political messages and protest for ages. U2 has practically taken over the world with politically charged music. John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Band - Aid, Live - Aid, USA for Africa, Pink, The Dixie Chicks, the list could, literally, go on for days. Politicians use popular music to define their campaigns and platforms - what is the problem with musicians using their own talents to express their own opinions about the state of current events and world issues? Have we really reached a point where we want music that's all beat with nothing to say?
In a world with obscenely popular songs with lyrics like "I'm bringing sexy back," and "I like big butts and I cannot lie," and, well, don't let me leave out Britney's new masterpiece "Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer"...it would seem like that is exactly where we are going.
Frankly, I prefer music with a message - doesn't have to be political, but if it is, I am not offended. I want music to say something to me about the world, and I want the music that I choose to say something to the world about me. I want the music that I love to be a window and a mirror - to show me things about the world and myself that I might otherwise miss. I want stories, and opinions, and confrontations, confessions, and revelations. This is probably why I lean so far towards indie music...
Anyway, that is my rant for the day...I happen to like "Christmas in America" ...political? Maybe. But loneliness and wanting to be with far away loved ones during the holidays are themes I relate to...
Too political??? What is that??? Music has been a vehicle for political messages and protest for ages. U2 has practically taken over the world with politically charged music. John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Band - Aid, Live - Aid, USA for Africa, Pink, The Dixie Chicks, the list could, literally, go on for days. Politicians use popular music to define their campaigns and platforms - what is the problem with musicians using their own talents to express their own opinions about the state of current events and world issues? Have we really reached a point where we want music that's all beat with nothing to say?
In a world with obscenely popular songs with lyrics like "I'm bringing sexy back," and "I like big butts and I cannot lie," and, well, don't let me leave out Britney's new masterpiece "Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer"...it would seem like that is exactly where we are going.
Frankly, I prefer music with a message - doesn't have to be political, but if it is, I am not offended. I want music to say something to me about the world, and I want the music that I choose to say something to the world about me. I want the music that I love to be a window and a mirror - to show me things about the world and myself that I might otherwise miss. I want stories, and opinions, and confrontations, confessions, and revelations. This is probably why I lean so far towards indie music...
Anyway, that is my rant for the day...I happen to like "Christmas in America" ...political? Maybe. But loneliness and wanting to be with far away loved ones during the holidays are themes I relate to...
